Vending-machine



W. C. MACE. VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION HLED MAY 8. 1913.

1,355,058. Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

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1,355,058, Patented 0015' 5, 1920.

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TES- PATENT OFFICE.

0F HLBSHFIELD, OREGON.

VENDMHLGHINE.

Application fled To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CLARK MACE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Marshfield, in the county of Coos and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending- Machines, of which the following is, a specification. i

M invention relates to-improvements in ven ing machines, more particularly to .those which vend liquids, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

. lene, rises or An object of my invention is to provide a device which may be actuated by coins of diiferent size or denomination to deliver a predetermined amount of liquid, said amount being in proportion to-the value of the coin deposited.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device which is normally locked but which may be unlocked through the medium of the coin which has been deposited, so that theliquid may be withdrawn, and having means for subsequently re ocking the device.

A further object of my invention is to rovide a device of the type described havmg means for varying the amounts delivered for a iven coin at will, as for instance, when the price of the liquid, such as gasofalls in accordance with the market quotation.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the invention will be particularlv pointed out in the appended claims.

My inve tion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, in which: Figure 1 is a vertical section through a portion of the device,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

ig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 6 is a detail sectional viewshowing I a magnetic clutch,

Fi clutch,

7 ia a detail view of another magnetic an I Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the actuating circuits.

automatically Specification of Letters Patent.

ranged to nation of the ,4 is provided with magnets Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

lay 8,1915. Serial I0. 583,890.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a plunger rod 1 which may be attached to any suitable sort of plunger (not shown) for causing the delivery 0 the liquid. It will be understood that the plunger rod 1 is similar to the plunger rods of those devices which when raised cause a given amount of liquid to be delivered, this amount being strictly in proportion to the upwar movement of the .plunger rod. Such devices are in common use and the present invention lie ",in the unlocking means, the means for l iting the movement of the plunger, etc., as hereinafter disclosed, and not in the plunger itself.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the rod 1 is provided with rack teeth 2 arranged to mes with a pinion 3 on a shaft 4 which is mounted for revolution on a casing 5. The shaft 4 is in axial alinement with a shaft 6 which is designed to be connected netic clutch such as that In this figure it will be seen shown in Fig. 6. that the shaft .7 having feed wires 8. These magnets are designed to act on slidable pins 9 carried by the shaft 6 and normally held retracted in the bores in which thp yhare located by means of springs 10. on however, the magnets 7 are actuated, they draw the pins 9 forwardly into the holes 11, thereby connecting the shafts 4 and 6 so as to revolve together.

Carried by the shaft 6 is a worm 12 arengage a worm wheel 13 on a The latter bears sprocket wheels such as those shown at 15 over which s rocket chains 16 run. These sprocket c ains are endless and pass around sprocket wheels 15' on a shaft 14' as shown in the drawing. At intervals the sprocket chains 16 bear lugs 17 for carrying forward the coin. The coin chute 15 shown at 18. Within the coin chute is a trap 19 which is normally held by a spring 20 in such a position as to hold the coin until the trap has been released by means of one of the lugs 17, as will be explained later. The coins are held in osition by means of a frame or casing 21 which preferably forms a contincoin chute 18. Any suitable shaft 14.

with the shaft 4 by a magreceptacle for receiving the coins which have 7 been deposited may be provided.

Referring now to Fig. 5, it will be seen that just above the chains 16 I have provided a 'U-shaped cam plate 22 having an is the liquid to inclined cam surface 22 arranged to be engaged by a coin 23 so as outwardly. The U-shaped cam plate 22 is provided with arms 22 which bear norma ly on spring pressed detents or latch plates 24 on opposite sides of the rack bar or plunger 1, as shown in Fig. 5. The lunger is provided withrecesses for receiving the ends of these latch lates which look the plunger in position. pposed to the cam plate 22 is a spring 25 having an inclined portion 25' arranged to be engaged by the coin 23. The spring 25 is provided with two contacts 26 and 27 respectively. The former contact 26 is designed to engage a spring pressed contact 28 in the electrical connection with the binding post 29, for reciprocal movement of the spring 25. If, however, the spring 25 is pressed farther outwardly, then the contact 27 will engage a fixed contact 30 in electrical connection with the binding post 31. Facing the spring 25 is a bar 32 which is normally held in' the position shown in Fig. 5 by means of the springs 33 but which ma v be pressed outwardly until it reaches the i to s 34.

Revolubly disposed in the ase plate 35 is a screw shaft 36 having means such as the hexagonal portion 37 for rotating it around its axis. It will be understood that this shaft does not advance during rotation, that is to say, it is merely mounted to revolve in the base. Disposed on the'screw shaft is a lower block38 which is threaded to receive the shaft and which bears a movable stop member 39, see Fig. 7. The stop 39 is normally forced outwardly bymeans of a spring 40 but it may be retracted by means of a magnet 41 carried by the block, the end of the stop member 39 forming an armature. The stop member 39 is beveled at 39. The rack bar 1 has a fixed stop 42 arranged to engage the movable stop 39.

spring 43 is secured to the rack bar at one end and at the other end to the base plate 35. A second block 44 is also threaded to receive the screw shaft 36 and carries a fixed stop 45.

From the foregoing descri tion of the various parts of the device, t thereof will be readily understood. Let us assume that two coins of difi'erent sizes are to be used, as for instance a silver dollar and a silver half dollar, and that gasolene be dispensed at 25 per gallon.. If the half dollar is deposited inthe coin chute, it is held by the trap 19. The handle 47 is now turned to revolve the shaft 6 which, through the medium of the worm 12 and the gear or pinion 13, operates the endless chain belt in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4. As soon as a In 17 reaches the trap 19, it raises it and a1 ows the coin to as downwardly on the chain belt, where 1t is pushed forwardly by the to move the plate e operation succeeding lug 17. The purpose of the trap 19 is to prevent the coin from being caught on a lug and ammed between the lu and the casing. he coin 23 is carrie forwardly, that is to say from left to right in Fig. 5, and on reaching the cam plate 22 pushes it outwardly, swinging the detents 24 from their full line position shown in Fig. 5 to the dotted line position and thus freeing the rack bar 1 which is normally locked by these members. The coin also engages the spring 25 and closes the contacts 26 and 28, thus energizing the magnets 7 as shown in Fig. 8, and causing the shaft 4 to revolve. The revolution of the shaft 4 causes the plun r bar 1 to be raised through the medium 0 the gears 3 and the rack teeth 2.

The rotation of the handle 47 feeds the chain belt forwardly and at the same time causes the continued raising of the rack bar 1. When the 50 coin gets to the point 32 the plunger with the stop pin 42 hasengaged the stop 39. This stops the upward movement of the plunger rod 1 and at the same time, the coin slips laterally at the inclined portipn 32 so asto permit the spring 25 to come back into normal position. This breaks the circuit 2628 and allows the plunger to return to normal position. The coin is deposited at the right hand end of the device as shown in Fig. 4. When the fixed stop 42 on the rack bar 1 reaches the stop 39 in Fig. 7, the barcan go no farther and it will have delivered liquid to the amount called for by the coin deposited, in this case, two gallons of gaso lene.

If a dollar had been deposited, then the spring 25 would have been pushed back to t e dotted line position shown in F 1g. 8 and the contacts 27 and 30 would have been closed, thus energizing the magnet 41 and withdrawing the movable stop. 39. When a dollar reaches the incline 32', it moves laterall and permits the spring 25 to move inwar ly, i. e., toward the center of the carrier breaking the contacts 27 and 30. The dollar, being of greater diameter than the smaller coin, will have moved the bar 32 against the tension of the springs 33 until it comes into en agement with the stops 34. The opposite ecFge of the dollar Wlll holdthe contact 26 against the spring contact 28 'until the coin has passed entirely oil from the carrier. In this case the rack bar would continue on until it reached the second stop 45, when four gallons would have been delivered. As soon as the required amount has been delivered, the coin 23 will pass out, thus permitting the spring 25 to resume its normal position and breaking the contacts 2628 and 27-30. This will free the rack bar b the 'deiinergization of the ma ets 7 and tile retraction of the pins 9 tirough the the locking Lauupus medium of the spring 10, see Fig. 7. The rack bar will now 'drawn downwardly into its original position by means of the spring 43. When the stop 42 reaches the inclined end portion 39 of the stop 39 it will push it inwardly far enough to pass t 1e stop, when the latter will spring outwardly in the position shown in Fig. 7. 'When the rack bar reaches its lowest position, the spring actuated detents 24 will assume their normal positions, shown in Fi 5, thus look ing the rack bar which can on y. be operated again by the deposit of a coin.

As stated above, the device is designed to be used with any plunger ca able of delivering a measured quantity of iquid. In Fig. 1, the casing '5 is shown as connected with the base plate 35 by means of posts 60, or any other suitable device. The cylindrical portion 61 is designed to extend downwardly into association with the liquid receptacle (not shown). It may constitute the pump cylinder 'f desired.

It is obvious at the positions of the blocks 38 and 44 may be shifted b turning the screw shaft 36 so that more or ess of the liquid may be delivered as the price fluctu-,. ates. Obviously, also, blocks similar shown at 38, operated by circuitsgi- 11a to that shown in'Fig. .8, cpuld ed, and bg placing other contacts similar to those s own at 27 and 30, additional coins could be used to deliver predetermined amounts of liquid other than that ver dollar or a half dollar is deposited, with-- out departing in the least from the spirit of l the invention or the scope of the claims.

1. In a liquid dispensin device, a plunger, means for normally loci ling the plunger, a coin carrier, means for delivering a coin to said carrier, means for operating the carrier to cause the en agement of the poin with the locking means or releasing theplunger and means adapted to be actuated by" sai 1 carrier operating'means in the presence of a coin for sub uently moving the plunger.

2. In a liquid dispensin device, plunger,means. for normally loc ing the pl nger, a coin carrier, means for delivering a coin to said carrier, means for operating the carrier tocause the engagement of the coin with means forreleasin the latter, means-adapted to be actuated by said earrier 0 rating mean in the presence of a coin or subsequentl; moving the plunger, and means for imiting the movement of the plunger to a predetermined distance.

3. In a liquid dispensin device, a plungel, means for normally loc ing the plunger, a coin carrier, means for delivering a, coin to said carrier, means for operating the carrier to cause the engagement of the coin with the locking means for releasin the latter, means adapted to be actuated y said car- 'the coin carrier able plunger, means easin dehyered when a s11- .livenng leasing the same,

rier 0 rating means in the presence of a coin or subsequently movin the plunger, and means de ndent upon t e size of the coin deposited for limiting the movement of the plunger to a predetermined distance.

4. In a li uid dispensing device, a plunger, means ior normally locking the plunger, a coin carrier, means for operating to bring a coin into engage ment with said locking means for releasing the same, and means operative in the presence of a coinfor subsequently bringmg the plunger into operative relation with the coin carrier 0 crating means.

5. In a li uid ispensing device, a plunger, means or normally locking the plunger, a coin carrier, means for operating the coin carrier to brin a coin into engagement with said locking means for releasing the same, means including a magnetic clutch for subsequently bringm .the plunger into operative re ation wit the coin carrier operating means, and means actu ated by t e coin for operating clutch.

6. In a liquid dispensing device, a movfor normally locking the plunger, a coin carrier, means for delivering the coin to the carrier, means for operating the carrier, the movement of the carrier 'servin to brin the coin into enagement wit the loc ing means l the same, a pair of contacts ada ted to be c osed by the coin, and means inclu in a magnetic clutch actuated by the closure 0 the contacts for subsequently bringing the the magnetic for 1 re-,

coin carrier operating means into operative relation with the plunger to move the latter.

7. In a liquid dispensing device, a movable lunger, means for normally locking the p unger, a coin carrier, means for delivering the coin to the carrier, means for operating the carrier, the movement of the carrier serving to brin the coin into engagement wit the loc ing means for releasing thesame,

a pair of contacts adapted to be closed by the coin, means including a magnetic clutch actuated b the closure of the contacts for subsequent y bringing the coin carrier operating means into operative relation with the plunger to move the latter, and a stop member for limiting the movement of t e plunger.

B. In a liquiddispensing able plunger, means for normally the p un er, a coin carrienmeans' for det e coin to the carrier. means for operating the carrier, the movement of the carrier serving to bring the coin into engagement wit the loc ing means for rea pair of contacts ada ted to be closed by the coin, means inclu 'ng a magnetic clutch actuated by of the contacts for subsequently bringing the coin carrier operating means into operthe closure ative relation with the plunger to move the latter, sto members for limitin the movement of tiie plunger, one of sai stop members being movable, and means actuated by the coin for shifting said movable stop member.

9. In a liquid dispensing device, a movable plunger, means for normally locking the plunger, a coin carrier, means for delivering the coin to the carrier, means for operating the carrier, the movement of the carrier serving to bring the coin into engagement with the locking means for releasing the same, a pair of contacts adapted to be closed by the coin, means including a magnetic clutch actuated by the closure of the contacts for subsequently bringing the coin carrier operating means into operative relation with the plunger to move the latter, sto members for limiting the movement 0 the plun er, one of said stop members being movab e, and an electro-magnetic device adapted to be operated by the coin for withdrawing said movable stop member.

' to be closed by the coin, means including a magnetic clutch actuated by the closure of the contacts for subsequently bringing the coin carrier operating means into operative relation with the plunger to move the latter, sto members for limiting the movement 0 the plunger, one of said stop memhere being movable, an electro-magnetic device adapted to be operated by the coin for withdrawing said movable stop member, and means for adjusting the positions of either of said stop members.

WM. CLARK MACE. Witnesses:

HARRIET A. LONGSTON, JOHN W. MOTLEY. 

